disdain
/dɪsˈdeɪn/ noun, verb
Forms disdains disdaining disdained
- noun (uncountable) A feeling of contempt or scorn. “The cat viewed the cheap supermarket catfood with disdain and stalked away.”
- noun (obsolete) That which is worthy to be disdained or regarded with contempt and aversion.
- noun (obsolete) The state of being despised; shame.
- verb (transitive) To regard (someone or something) with strong contempt.
- verb (intransitive, obsolete) To be indignant or offended.
Synonyms
abomination condescension contempt despisal scorn abominate contemn despite patronage despise reject spurn freeze off pooh-pooh turn down
Antonyms
adoration admiration honor respect reverence adore admire revere
Etymology
From Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A feeling of contempt and aversion; the regarding anything as unworthy of or beneath one; scorn.
- noun That which is worthy to be disdained or regarded with contempt and aversion. [Obs.]
- verb To think unworthy; to deem unsuitable or unbecoming; as, to disdain to do a mean act. Disdaining . . . that any should bear the armor of the best knight living. Sir P. Sidney.
- verb To reject as unworthy of one's self, or as not deserving one's notice; to look with scorn upon; to scorn, as base acts, character, etc. When the Philistine . . . saw Dawid, he disdained him; for he was but a youth. 1 Sam. xvii. 42.
Etymology [OE. desdain, disdein, OF. desdein, desdaing, F. dédain, fr. the verb. See Disdain, v. t.]
Etymology [OE. disdainen, desdainen, OF. desdeigner, desdaigner, F. dédaigner; des- (L. dis-) + daigner to deign, fr. L. dignari to deem worthy. See Deign.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “disdain”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details